In Android 9 Pie (and earlier versions) there is a setting ‘Secure startup’, which is applicable in case of full device encryption (which comes by default in all new Android phones AFAIK). When ‘Require password when device turns on’ is enabled, the password must be entered at phone start and the phone won’t boot if no password is entered. When the other option ‘Do not require’ is enabled the phone starts and I can even receive phone calls, I just cannot unlock the phone.
So my question is: if ‘Require password when device turns on’ is NOT enabled – does this mean that my phone is NOT encrypted and if for example gets stolen, the thief will be able to download all my data to a PC (without unlocking the phone)? If this is true this seems like an absurdly easy way to bypass full device encryption...
Your data is encrypted by default. You can have it set to not encrypt it but it is not something I would advice of you.
As for the secure start up. As long as you have a locked bootloader and a password there are less then .01% of people that can hack into your device.
zelendel said:
Your data is encrypted by default. You can have it set to not encrypt it but it is not something I would advice of you.
As for the secure start up. As long as you have a locked bootloader and a password there are less then .01% of people that can hack into your device.
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My phone is rooted and the bootloader is not locked AFAIK (it's Exynos).
I am not asking about bruteforce and other hacking techniques that could be used, I am just asking whether my phone is encrypted after boot and before the screen is unlocked.
Yes it is encrypted. Has been since the day you first day Bought it.
OK, but how come then my phone boots and is almost fully operational when ‘Require password when device turns on’ is NOT enabled (e.g. I can receive phone calls, calendar events pop up on screen - although I cannot see what they are all about because the screen is locked)?
orifori said:
OK, but how come then my phone boots and is almost fully operational when ‘Require password when device turns on’ is NOT enabled (e.g. I can receive phone calls, calendar events pop up on screen - although I cannot see what they are all about because the screen is locked)?
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Think of it as safe mode on PC. Not everything or all permissions are allowed when booting like that. It just a security feature and has nothing to do with encryption. It just locks out some info from being seen without the password.
Ill be honest with you. If you are worried about your data then dont be too worried. Unless you are someone important then your device is only useful for how much the hardware will get. Let me tell you how a phone theft goes.
1. Phone Stolen
2. Sim card removed
3. Device reset
4. If its locked then take it home and flash an OS to it or sell it to a pawn shop that is questionable.
Now the first 3 are normally done before you even know your device is gone (less then a minute)
Encryption bypass / Android (10) security issue after first unlock
zelendel said:
Yes it is encrypted. Has been since the day you first day Bought it.
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Click to collapse
I have discovered another security issue on a rooted device:
On my Magisk-rooted and encrypted Note 10+/Exynos (Android 10) I just found out, that the userdata (data/data ) partition is UNENCRYPTED and fully readable when viewed with an ADB viewer from my PC although the device is in lockscreen mode / locked!
This doesn't happen after reboot before the first unlock! After the device has been unlocked, accessed via ADB and re-locked (but not rebooted) it is (still) unencrypted, even after rebooting the PC!
Here the lockscreen password would not make much sense at every screenlock - it just unlocks the screen which can be bypassed and all data can be read via ADB anyway - it would only make sense once at boot. Is there a way to have two passwords (1 at boot and an easier one at screenlock) for example?
Is this a known bug? / Any ideas?
Related
From the online articles and the encryption description i was left with the impression that i will need to enter the password only on boot.
Well appears that once encrypted the only active unlock options become, face unlock, pin and password.
All take too long for my daily use, and since you don't have to use the encryption password for unlocking (the phone is decrypted on boot) but other options like face unlock, why we can't unlock with the normal slider screen or at least pattern unlock?
Is there a way to go around it and enable the slider unlock on an encrypted phone?
p.s.
i know that decreases the security, but knowing that if i lose my phone, chances are the battery will die before someone digs into it, and they will need to decrypt it then.... is enough for my needs.
what version of the os is it? and yes you can change it. you have to go into settings >>security>> and should give you the option to change it. you just have to disable encryption. worst comes to worst...FACTORY RESET
the idea is to change it and still be encrypted...
it's 4.1.1
I guess encryption is not that popular among android users?
Hi at all!
After yesterdays update over WiFi (don't know which exactly, but I think it's MiUI8 6.9.8) my Redmi Note 3 (Qualcomm, 32GB) wouldn't let me unlock the device neither with fingerprint nor pattern. Before I updated it was normally unlocking. Normally I use fingerprint, so at first I thought i forgot the pattern, but after several attempts the phone went into lock mode. I am 99% sure I know the right pattern, but it won't unlock.
I already read this guide: http://en.miui.com/thread-5684-1-1.html and tried this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMAPEhH5z-8
But I have still several problems:
- USB debugging not enabled
- no recovery installed
- no root or open bootloader or anything like that
- no backup of all photos, which are on the phone itself and not on the SD card (I just came back from holidays)
- no cloud or similar backup
- Mi Pc Suite does not detect phone
- Google Device Manager states "Since Google has verified that a screen lock is already set, the password that you entered won't be needed." if I try the send a new lockscreen.
This method (with flash afterwards) could help me, I guess, but I still would loose everything: http://forum.xda-developers.com/redmi-note-3/how-to/guide-reboot-to-edl-mode-fastboot-test-t3398718
I have absolutely no idea how i can unlock my phone without loosing any data (especially the photos).
Please if anyone has an Idea, help me!
Same happened to me so I restored my backup, once the restore had finished I removed the finger print and pin number (I had read about this on the xiaomi Forum). Then did the update again and this time it was OK
sounds easy, how did you restore the backup?
Before restoring any backup, I suggest you hard restart your phone. long press the power button.
but if I make a Hard Reset I will loss everything on the phone.
Is there maybe a possibility to insert some sort of file or command via EDL mode, that USB debbuging will be enabled? http://forum.xda-developers.com/redmi-note-3/how-to/guide-reboot-to-edl-mode-fastboot-test-t3398718
No not the hard reset. I was talking about hard restart. The phone will just restart.
ahh I see, sorry my fault.
But nonetheless I din't made any backup ever with this phone.
same problem here
my phone redmi note 3(qualcomm 32gb) is also locked just yesterday ! it shows try again after 120 minutes and after the time completed it shows pattern and it will be locked again and shows the same dialouge after trying my correct password ! actually we shoud get forgot password option behind the emergency option ! please do give a reply to me if you find any solution it means a lot to me !
Well I am afraid I can't help you either... after searching for 2 days I found no solution and flashed my phone. so all data was lost...
Device is a SM-N916S from Samsung (Galaxy Note 4 S-LTE Exynos 5433 ver.) for anyone that's wondering. It's current state : Completely stock with no root. USB debugging disabled. No Samsung Account linked to device. Can't change password through ADM. No more guesses left for the password anymore, any more will reset the phone.
So yeah. For the past few days I've been trying to bypass Android Device Manager's remote "Lock" feature that's meant to keep your data safe from theives. As for why? Long story short : I tried to pull a cruel prank on my brother by remotely locking his device through ADM. I have since forgotten the password (it was a random combination of letters and numbers that I thought I could remember, but obviously not.) and trying to set a new password through Android Device Manager just gives me the infamous "Since Google has verified that a screen lock is already set, the password you entered won't be needed." error message.
Now, if this was phone that belonged to me, I would just install a custom recovery and remove the password with a password disable zip, but unfortunately, that is not an option here. Oh yeah, I should probably mention that I CANNOT void the warranty (as in trip the KNOX counter) under ANY circumstances and would very much like to avoid a factory reset. Am I out of luck here? Or is anyone here aware of a method that can be used to bypass the ADM lock / or a way to backup data without root access / adb. Thanks.
Hello,
I am really dumb and changed my phone pattern yesterday for one that i found fancy on the moment trying out different pattern. Well i forgot it.
I have a One Plus 6t and it's stock rom and locked bootloader, it does have secure boot enabled and it's encrypted.
Is there a way to unlock the phone without wiping data ?
I have access to my computer, the phone have adb enabled and the computer is administrator for the phone.
I can't have access to anything because i did restart it and now it doesn't unlock since it's encrypted.
Anyone have been in the same situation and found a workarround ?
I have some really important data inside that phone that are stored nowhere else.
Thanks
Note:
Connecting to PC and launching adb, it seems like it does take the command, is there anything i can do from there ?
lot of permission denied and 'adb locksettings' doesn't work
If there was a way to access the data without the password/pin/pattern, that would defeat the whole purpose of secure bootloader and encryption.
So no, there is no known way of doing this.
Hello,
I have a realme 7 pro and this morning, after I turned it on, I entered the required password after rebooting and it rejected it.
The last time I used the phone was yesterday and I neither changed the password (it has been the same for months), nor did update.
How on earth is this possible?
I have never modified the system files since I bought the phone (no modding) and the bootloader is still locked (that's why I think I can't access the fast boot mode).
I can only access engineering mode and recovery mode.
Thank you in advance for your help.
thisisabyz said:
Hello,
I have a realme 7 pro and this morning, after I turned it on, I entered the required password after rebooting and it rejected it.
The last time I used the phone was yesterday and I neither changed the password (it has been the same for months), nor did update.
How on earth is this possible?
I have never modified the system files since I bought the phone (no modding) and the bootloader is still locked (that's why I think I can't access the fast boot mode).
I can only access engineering mode and recovery mode.
Thank you in advance for your help.
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That's strange. Phone rejects the password even if it entered correctly if someone has tried to enter the password incorrectly earlier without your knowldge.
Please allow some time and then enter it again.
mvikrant97 said:
That's strange. Phone rejects the password even if it entered correctly if someone has tried to enter the password incorrectly earlier without your knowldge.
Please allow some time and then enter it again.
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Click to collapse
First of all, thank you for your reply!
I wasn't aware of this defense mechanism of smartphones, however to my knowledge no one has tried to access my phone by mistaking the password...
In any case, I will wait 24 hours without making any further attempts and then try again to enter it
I just tried again but nothing.
To your knowledge is there any company that performs such unlocks? I am only interested in recovering the data which is very important, otherwise I would have formatted it....
thisisabyz said:
I just tried again but nothing.
To your knowledge is there any company that performs such unlocks? I am only interested in recovering the data which is very important, otherwise I would have formatted it....
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Click to collapse
There are a few problems with such requests:
They often come from people with stolen devices (knowingly or not, no judgements here)
It's borderline illegal, which contests our 'do not get us in trouble' rule
There's often payment involved with such services (and rarely any guarantees), also against our rules
You'll find several "tools" to "help you" but they are often bundled with malicious software
In short, though we do support some good old exploit sparring, the topic resides in a dark corner. Nonetheless it's good to ask around, perhaps there's other people with the same problem (2 years after release, unlikely) or someone has heard of a rare bug related to the matter.
IMHO your best bet would be getting in touch with Realme (find them here). Definitely keep us updated if you do!
I also have this Realme 7 Pro (issue/bug? IDK) since January 11, 2023
I have set face recognition but useless after rebooting phone.
In Realme UI recovery mode v1.2, before using any commands like
1. Install from storage
2. Online update
3. Wipe data
Phone asks for lockscreen password FIRST. Even PIN is what I set.
Also I need to recover my data first before doing ALL Methods to gain access again.
Please help us.
Edit: I just add more details about mine.
RMX2170
Android 11
non rooted, I dont have plan to modify first.
That's why I did not enable "USB Debugging" before I encountered this "lockscreen PIN problem". Which is I need right now to establish connection between android & pc.
(Forgot password is also useless they just recommend to bring this to Service Center to factory reset but, goodbye files.)
exdeeei said:
1. Install from storage
2. Online update
3. Wipe data
Phone asks for lockscreen password FIRST. Even PIN is what I set.
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It also applies to me
exdeeei said:
RMX2170
Android 11
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My model is also RMX2170 but i have Android 12.
exdeeei said:
That's why I did not enable "USB Debugging" before I encountered this "lockscreen PIN problem". Which is I need right now to establish connection between android & pc.
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Click to collapse
Unfortunately, I am also in this situation, I can basically only use *#899#
For now, I contacted Realme who referred me to a local shop. I have contacted them but am still waiting for a response. I have a hunch that we will lose the data....
If the device is encrypted, you can not access data without unlock. Maybe Realme have something they can flash to EDL to unlock the phone and access data….